My top tips for the Vacation Placement

Halfway between the worlds of education and work, the Vacation Placement is a brilliant opportunity to begin your career with Pinsent Masons. If you want to really make a great first impression and maximise both your understanding of the world of law and your chance of getting that training contract, then you might find these tips helpful to making the most of your time on the scheme.

Ask questions

Because the vac scheme is such a great opportunity for learning, you shouldn’t be afraid to ask questions! Everyone in your department will know that you might not have spent any time studying or practicing that area of law before, and will be willing to help you out with questions both large and small. If you’re serious about going into law then you won’t be able to assume things you don’t know for sure or leave questions unanswered. It’s also a great way of finding out where you might like to specialise into in the future.

Don’t leave the scheme with unanswered questions: it might be the best legal learning opportunity that you ever have!

Make every second count

Two weeks might sound like a long time, but once you actually start the placement you will probably find it flies by. Your supervisor and buddy will normally keep you supplied with a steady stream of work to do, and it’s critical that you are able to organise and prioritise the work you are given to make sure you don’t miss anything and have enough time to complete the work to a high standard. Being able to manage your own time effectively will not only give you chance to get through as many different tasks as possible, but will avoid stress and allow to you really make a good impression by demonstrating your abilities.

It’s also vital to use less busy moments well. The vacation scheme isn’t just about working, but also about learning more about yourself and the law.  You could, for instance, ask your colleagues if it’s OK to read the FileSite records for the matters you have worked on to learn more about the role Pinsent Masons played in the matter. Exploring the firm’s intranet is also a helpful resource to find out more about what the firm is doing on a wider scale, and is a great way to discover more about the ‘big picture’ at Pinsent Masons.

Get involved

Finally, one of the most crucial things you can do is get involved with all the non-work activities. Social and non-work events (such as seminars and presentations) are a great way to both demonstrate your commitment to the firm, and to meet your colleagues in a non-monitored environment. Getting to know those you work with, in your home department or elsewhere is vital for networking both socially and professionally, and can be a real boost for your time with Pinsent Masons. Get out there!